Compressing apparatus



M. M. WHlTIFlEILD COMPRESSING APPARATUS Filed March 18. 1920 s Sheets-Sheet 1 31mm 2.6, B923.

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M. M. WHITFIELD COMPRESSING APPARATUS Filed March 18, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Mark M.W]1fifield an. w

Fatented June 235,, i323.

MARK M. WHITFIELD, F MEMPHES, TENNESSEE.

COMPRESSING APPARATUS.

Application filed March 18, 1920. Serial No. 366,957.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MARK M. VVHITFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residin at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and tate of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compressing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to motive fluid conservers and has for an object to provide means for taking the exhaust fluid from a motor and compress and force it back into the source of supply, be that supply a steam boiler, compressed air tank or other form of motive fluid supply.

Further object of the invention is to provide means for taking the exhaust from the cylinder of the motor or the like and trans ferring it to a compressor in such manner as to relieve back pressure on the motor and provide compression in the initial chamber of the compressor.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises certain novel units,

structures, parts, combinations and organizations as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view of the invention applied to show the conventional motor and source of fluid supply.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal diametrical sectional view through the propeller. v

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view 36 of the head of the propeller casing on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4: is a transverse sectional view of one head of the propeller casing with the terminal propeller on line 4-4 of Fig- 410 ure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view, diametrically through two cylinders and pistons of the compressor.

Figure 6 is a diametrical sectional view through one of the cylinders, taken at right angles to the plane of Figure 5 on line 65-43 thereof.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

At Figure l the invention has been shown coupled with and forming part of an organization having a part 10 which indicates a steam boiler or compressed air tank or other reservoir for motive fluid under tension. 11 indicates, conventionally, a motor which Wlll be a steam motor or an air motor or other motor according to the motive fluid taken from the source 10. A conduit 12 forms communication between the source W 10 and the motor and an exhaust conduit 13 provides for taking off the exhaust from the motor. The motor is provided with a shaft 14 driven in any approved manner accordmg to the type of motor, here shown as W drlven by the piston rod 15. The shaft 14 carr es a pulley 16 which through the medium of the belt 17 drives the pulley 18 on the shaft 19. w

The shaft 19 extends longitudinally through the propeller casing 20 and actuates the pistons 21 and 22 through the medium of eccentrics 23 and 24, respectively.

The propeller casing 20 is provided at one end with a head 25 accommodating a ball bearing 26 and provided with a stuffing box 27. The head 25 also makes provision for an inlet port v28 communicating with the exhaust conduit 13.

The shaft 19 within the housing 20 is provided with a worm 29 extending as a helix through substantially the entire length of the casing 20. At one end of the casing a head 30 is provided, having an outlet 31 with a propeller fan 32 operating between 35 the proximate end of the worm and the head 30. A stuffing box 33 is also provided for journaling the shaft 19.

Merely for mechanical reasons instead of continuing the shaft 19 as an integral memher throughout the length it is found desirable to form the shaft and the worm separate as indicated at 19', with sockets 34 and 35 in engagement with the terminal sections of theshaft 19.

For the purpose of preventing the undesirable passage of motive fluid a band 36 is set into the periphery of the worm 29 being of resilient construction and bearing against the interior of the housing 20. To minimize the friction of this band against the housing a lubricant is employed and pet cocks 37 and 38 are employed to draw from the easing excess lubricant.

Communicating with the port 31 is a conduit 39 leading to the chamber 40 above the cylinders 41 and 42 which accommodates the pistons 21 and 22. The chamber 40 communicates with the cylinders 41 and 2 through valved openings 43 and 4A respec tively, held normall yieldingly to seat by springs 47 and 48. he cylinders 41 and 4:2 I communicate with a conduit 49 leadingto the reservoir bybranches 50 and 51 provided with check valves 52 and 53, respectively.

For operating successfully the propeller 10 29 and terminal propeller 32 will be of such size and driven at such speed as to withdraw from the motor 11 the exhaust preventing any back pressure at the piston. It will also carry the motive; fluid thus exhausted ll throu h the organization and through the conduit 39 to the chamber 40 into which chamber it will force the motive fluid under such pressure as will open the valves 48 upon thedown stroke of the piston or .will assist '0, such opening, augmented by the rarificaleion' within thecylinders,

The pressure in the chamber 40, will also serve to cause considerable compression in thecylinder's, even with. the pistons at the down stroke, whereby the return stroke of thespiston .isprovided with a body of fluid against which to act, as distinguished'from an attenuated mass, whereby .compress'ion, from the return stroke of the piston serves to compress. the fluid to a very considerable degree ,forcing it 'throughthe eheck valves and through the conduit 49 to the source of supply 10. In-this manner the motive fluid is conservedas to .its substance and its heat or other desirable qualities inherent therein.

Having-thus fully described my said invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

'1. A fluid compressing apparatus comprising a low pressure worm propeller com pressorand a high pressure compressor hav; mg a reciprocating piston driven directly from the shaft of the worm propeller, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fluid compressing apparatus, a shaft, a worm propeller driven by the shaft and having connection with a fluid supply and adapted to Withdraw fluid from said suppl continuously, a compressor driven direct y from the said shaft and means for supplying the .fluid to the compressor from the worm propeller, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fluid compressing apparatus, a shaft, a cylindrical housing, a worm on the said shaft and journaled to rotate within the housing, a compressor having a reciprocatingtpiston driven directly from said shaft, a con uit leading from the cylindrical housing to the compressor, said worm being adapted to create a reduced pressure at its supply and to force the fluid into" the compressor under an increased pressure, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a fluid compressing apparatus,a cy; lindricalhousing, a shaft within thehousing and extending therebeyond, a worm 'mount- :ed upon the shaft and journaled to, rotate within the housing, an eccentric mounted upon the said extending portion of thesaid shaft, a piston driven by the eccentric oper-' ating to compress the fluid, a communication from the cylindricalhousing to the port of the fluid-compressing piston, said worm'fbeing adapted to create a reduced pressure at its-sup ply,.vsubstantially as set forth. In "witness whereof, I have hereunto set y hand and seal at Washington in the District of Columbia this 15th dayof' March, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty.- MARK M. VVHI'IFIELD. [L.s.]

Witnesses:v y

Li: RoY GULLRANSEN, J. E. JORDAN. 

